Keep It Simple Stupid...

  • Thread starter Thread starter ChadVanHalen
  • Start date Start date
ChadVanHalen

ChadVanHalen

New member
So, gotta kinda take back a little pride here...

So as some of you know I'm not legal to play in bars yet so while playing in my bedroom I've had time to watch billions of rig rundowns and oggle gear on eBay and get sweet complex setups made up in my head thinking I'll be a badass gunslinger

Then recently I started jamming with some dudes who after the first jam said "Here's our set lists (Note the plural) the show is September 7th" (About 2 and a half weeks later for a good 3-4 hours of music)

So the band sneaks me in through the side of the bar to set my stuff up (A couple pedals and a half stack) and it was easier than I remember it. Tuning I was a told a big bass player in the San Diego area made his way over here (Salt Lake City) to jam with us. 30 minutes later we're all still waiting for him to set up his rack... And that's when I thought about my rack I was dreaming up in my head and had that epiphany... Fuck. I'm playing bars. My half stack can barely fit on this stage. Why the hell am I going to buy a big complex rack?

Upon watching some Steel Panther videos earlier today I noticed Russ was playing some 5153's and in front of him was an amp switcher, a tuner, a delay and a tube screamer... And god dammit... Satchel is playing bigger venues than I will and his rig is more simple than the "simple" one I was planning on making!

So, to all those suggesting I buy myself a nice tube amp instead of MIDI preamps, here's my pride, you're right.
Now, tube heads. I've always gassed for a 5150 or 5153 (Especially in white... But that just could be the Randy Rhoads fan in me) and it perked my wallet to see Russ from Panther using a 5150 and more recently a 53... Any other suggestions for just about $1000 tube amps to get me sweet hair metal tones? I'd say I'd wanna stay Marshall because I already have a 63 cab but my puppy decided the some of tolex looked better in her mouth or on the ground when I woke up today >.>
So sticking with Marshall isn't a necessity since I'll probably pick up a new cab anyway to take out on the road...
 
A newer version of the Splawn Quickrod might be right up your alley. And, you can get them used for $1k in decent shape.

If you expect to only be playing clubs, you should probably consider a 50 watt amp - running a 4x12 cab, you'll never get a 100 watter past 3 or 4 on the Master Volume.
 
rlord1974":1nziima4 said:
A newer version of the Splawn Quickrod might be right up your alley. And, you can get them used for $1k in decent shape.

If you expect to only be playing clubs, you should probably consider a 50 watt amp - running a 4x12 cab, you'll never get a 100 watter past 3 or 4 on the Master Volume.
Ah Splawn... I was trying to think of that name but only could think of the comic book character

Are there 50W that are the size of 100W? The 5153 and Orange 50Ws I've seen are smaller and look weird on top of 4x12... Small gripe, I know, but it kinda bugs me
 
I don't think you can get a 50 watt Quickrod, but you can *probably* pull two of the power tubes to make it run at 50 watts. Someone else will chime in on this, I'm sure.....
 
And there's a bigger picture to all of this too. Cats out there killin' it, SO many have a fraction of what most RT'ers have in their arsenal, but they're out there, playin' it and keepin' it real. I think the internet is both the best thing and the worst thing that's happened to practicing musicians. SO easy to "talk and type" about playing, whereas in the ol'daze, it was woodshedding all the way.

Know what I mean?

As for Splawn, I know there's a lot of love for 'em. Never had the pleasure...so can't speak about them.
 
Splawn amps are as solid as they come. My Nitro will run at 50 or 100 watts with a flip of a switch on the back of the amp. Best of both worlds. 50 watts for smaller joints & 100 should you ever need it. I can tell you Spawns are simply some of the loudest amps ever. IMHO of course.
 
dooredge":tuwe625p said:
Splawn amps are as solid as they come. My Nitro will run at 50 or 100 watts with a flip of a switch on the back of the amp. Best of both worlds. 50 watts for smaller joints & 100 should you ever need it. I can tell you Spawns are simply some of the loudest amps ever. IMHO of course.
bth_mother-of-god-meme.jpg


I really like that as an option... And looking on the website the QR has that option as well... The Nitro and QR have the same customizing options and the same half power option and are the same price... Pros and Cons between the 2 for what I need
 
dooredge":opxurm6i said:
Splawn amps are as solid as they come. My Nitro will run at 50 or 100 watts with a flip of a switch on the back of the amp. Best of both worlds. 50 watts for smaller joints & 100 should you ever need it. I can tell you Spawns are simply some of the loudest amps ever. IMHO of course.
I second this. The Splawn Quick Rod with the Low B option will get you the tone you want. I grin from ear to ear every time I turn mine on. I play in 4 bands ranging from 70's and 80's rock, disco, easy listening, pop punk all the way to OLD Def Leppard, Priest, Maiden Nd and Accept.

No boost pedals needed.
 
Ventura":2afvz2dc said:
And there's a bigger picture to all of this too. Cats out there killin' it, SO many have a fraction of what most RT'ers have in their arsenal, but they're out there, playin' it and keepin' it real. I think the internet is both the best thing and the worst thing that's happened to practicing musicians. SO easy to "talk and type" about playing, whereas in the ol'daze, it was woodshedding all the way.

Know what I mean?

As for Splawn, I know there's a lot of love for 'em. Never had the pleasure...so can't speak about them.
I can relate to that. I was thinking the other day about what I don't have that I'd like to have one day.

The best I could come up with was 40 Saturdays in a row.
 
JerEvil":35ajh48n said:
dooredge":35ajh48n said:
Splawn amps are as solid as they come. My Nitro will run at 50 or 100 watts with a flip of a switch on the back of the amp. Best of both worlds. 50 watts for smaller joints & 100 should you ever need it. I can tell you Spawns are simply some of the loudest amps ever. IMHO of course.
I second this. The Splawn Quick Rod with the Low B option will get you the tone you want. I grin from ear to ear every time I turn mine on. I play in 4 bands ranging from 70's and 80's rock, disco, easy listening, pop punk all the way to OLD Def Leppard, Priest, Maiden Nd and Accept.

No boost pedals needed.
With everyone's recommendation, on and off this thread, the 100W/50W switch, custom looks...

I guess I found my new amplifier... Time to save up $2k...

... That's a lot of money lol
 
Any suggestions on the tubes that work better? The EL34s and KT88 are only $100 difference, which is better for this sorta sound?
 
In a Marshall-type circuit, KT88s lend themselves to that glassed out, cutting kerrang. EL34s will give you more mids and chew.

Just my 2 cents. KT88s are high output too - so if horsepower is a requirement, a quad of KT88s is big business SPL wise, but a lot of cats refer to them as "cold" sounding with a big bottom end.

Your call.
 
Ventura":nutza562 said:
a lot of cats refer to them as "cold" sounding with a big bottom end.

Sounds like the rippers at my local gentlemen's club.
 
rlord1974":25v9qc1v said:
Ventura":25v9qc1v said:
a lot of cats refer to them as "cold" sounding with a big bottom end.

Sounds like the rippers at my local gentlemen's club.
Kitty should never be cold if she's got a hefty keister :dunno:
 
rlord1974":1j7rthti said:
Ventura":1j7rthti said:
a lot of cats refer to them as "cold" sounding with a big bottom end.

Sounds like the rippers at my local gentlemen's club.
I don't that's a gentleman's club you're visiting... Sounds more like a murderer's club for those interested in serial killers from 1888 in Whitechapel, London...
 
rlord1974":2kepg6y9 said:
There's a really nice 2012 Quickrod on TGP right now, with custom Studio Slips cover, for $1,390 shipped. I have no affiliation with the seller....

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... ?t=1304099
Did you really go to other forums to see if someone is selling a Quick Rod for me? God, you guys on this forum are literally the best...

I'm not in the market right now, I have to finish my project and maybe spend another $5-600 on a guitar before I upgrade my rig. But it's nice to have a goal to work towards when you're putting money away for gear instead of just putting it away for nothing... Plus I'm probably going to get a custom one that looks like a JMP in white with a matching white cab...

Speaking of cabs... Splawn's cabs are damn expensive... Now I can pick up a good Marshall slant for $3-400 and I heard vinyl paint looks real good on tolex so I could have myself a sweet Randy Rhoads white half stack, but since I'll have a boutique amplifier, why not have a boutique cab... Good cabinet companies that sell white cabinets that look Marshall-y? And best speakers to put in them?
Aftershock is a tad cheaper than Splawn but they are still a bit higher-end than I'd like
 
Back
Top